CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - After visiting North Dakota had trimmed its deficit to six points early in the second half, host Northern Iowa embarked on a 17-4 run over the next nine minutes to pull away from the visitors for a 72-47 victory at the McLeod Center.

Junior guard Aaron Anderson led UND in scoring for the second straight game with a dozen points, while sophomore Lenny Antwi chipped in with nine.

UNI (3-0) held a 36-25 lead at halftime but UND (1-2) stormed out of the halftime break to trim the deficit to just six points. Antwi capped a 7-2 run with his third 3-pointer of the game, but that would be as close as the Green and White could get in the second half.

The UNI defense held them to just one field goal over the next 11-plus minutes and the visitors would not connect on any more treys the rest of the way. The Panthers, who were led in scoring by Jake Koch with 16, extended their lead to 19 during that stretch to keep UND head coach Brian Jones from picking up a win over his alma mater.

UNI head coach Ben Jacobson, meanwhile, improved to 4-0 all-time against his alma mater thanks to the 25-point victory.

UND made just 17 field goals in the contest (52 attempts, 32.4 percent) and went just 5-of-22 from distance, while UNI converted on 43.4 percent of its shots from the field and made nine 3-pointers.

Antwi and junior college transfer Alonzo Traylor shared the team lead with four rebounds, but the Panthers owned a 41-28 advantage on the glass. Anderson made his first three free throws of the game to push his streak to 15 straight to open the season before missing on his fourth attempt.

North Dakota will remain on the road and travel over the Pacific Ocean to play a Hawaii time that is coming off a narrow 78-77 overtime loss to Illinois. The Warriors (3-1) will be playing their fifth-straight home game.